


If I Fall

by luninosity



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Dialogue-Only, Love Confessions, M/M, Worry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-10-11
Updated: 2012-10-11
Packaged: 2017-11-16 03:05:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/534781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/luninosity/pseuds/luninosity
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>All-dialogue fic, written after the Avengers trailer aired, about Clint leaping off tall buildings in death-defying stunts. Phil is not impressed. That would cause a lot of paperwork, after all.</p>
            </blockquote>





	If I Fall

**Author's Note:**

> Title and opening lines from Oasis’s “Lyla,” which always gets stuck in my head: "if you can hear me call/ then I can say, Lyla/ heaven help you catch me if I fall…"

_calling on the stars to fall_  
 _and catch the silver sunlight in your hands_  
 _come for me and set me free_  
 _lift me up and take me where I stand_

 

"You jumped off a building. From thirty floors up."

"Did you want me to jump from the twenty-eighth floor?"

"I want you to remember that when you hit the ground, it will not be impressed by your sarcasm. And also I'd have to fill out paperwork about you. Which I have to do anyway, for all your replacement arrows. Do you know how much one of those special-order explosive tips actually costs? Because I do. And I could tell you."

"In my defense, the building was on fire. And you enjoy paperwork."

"I'm going to have Tony install some anti-gravity pads in your suit. And you aren't allowed to leave the base until he's done."

"So what you're saying is I should jump off buildings closer to home instead."

"I'd still have to do the paperwork if you died."

"You'd figure out a way to catch me."

"And then you'd figure out another way to almost kill yourself in front of me. Because you're an ass."

"And you were worried about me."

"I'm _always_ worried about you, Barton."

"If I jump off of buildings, you'll catch me."

"I might not always be there."

"I'd be there to catch you if you ever jumped off a building."

"I appreciate the offer, and you're still an ass."

"That one wasn't sarcastic, you know. I meant that. I can mean things that I say, sometimes."

"Barton?"

"What?"

"You were right about the paperwork."

"What?"

"I don't mind the paperwork. I enjoy the paperwork. I like knowing that things are being taken care of. Neatly."

"Not strange and possibly crazy at all."

"Shut up. I wouldn't enjoy the paperwork if you died. I wouldn't--you said you would catch me if I ever, for any conceivable reason, felt the need to jump from a thirty-story building. And I'll fill out the paperwork to get anti-grav tech in your suit if I have to, and I'll order your damn replacement arrows, and everything else you need, because I'm trying to catch you, too. And you--"

"Hey, you taste like coffee."

"You taste like someone who just jumped out of a burning building. Sorry, I'm not good at metaphors. Also, don't stop."

"Was that an order? Because I'm not very good at following orders. But I could do _this_ instead...."

"You're really not allowed off the base now."

"I might be able to follow that order. For now."

"Oh, thank you."

"Can I have arrows that shoot fire this time? You can fill out requisition forms for them. In bed."

"Are you trying to seduce me with paperwork? Also, you honestly think I'm going to say yes to that?"

"Just thought I'd ask."

"…the forms for that are in the bottom drawer of my desk. You can bring them along."


End file.
